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Just when you thought the 3GB of RAM in the Galaxy Note 3 was something to brag to your Windows Vista friends about, Samsung shows up with a pre-CES announcement about new 8Gb LPDD4 RAM that could potentially put 4GB of RAM in your phone in the near future. We are talking 1GB on a single die, 50 percent higher performance over the fastest LPDDR3 RAM, and 40 percent less power consumption.

As you would imagine, this new DRAM is geared for the high-end mobile market, meaning this could be used in tablets, phones, and ultra-slim notebooks. What I found interesting about the announcement, was Samsung’s mention that with this new chip, that high-end market will include devices with UHD (ultra HD) displays. That may or may not be a hint as to what we’ll see from the company in the very near future, but I’m also a firm believer in companies not saying something that specific unless it has meaning.

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If we put on our thinking caps could this be a precursor of the 64 bit Chip’s, I believe it was said that 64 bit processors need more Ram.

John

Been looking forward to at least 4gig in the Note 4.

joejoe5709

This article is tricky reading. I had to read it twice. This is all speculative. Would I buy a phone with 4GB versus 2GB? Of course! I’ll always gravitate toward better specs. Will it translate to real-world performance? Probably not right away but there are major changes coming in the next 2-3 years and it might become relevant. And if this increased performance means better battery life, then I’m definitely all for it even if it won’t play Dead Trigger 2 any better than my G2.

Mike Hilal

The extra ram helps with a heavier OS…games use of ram is limited by the software in the game itself. Im pretty sure there are no games that can utilize more than 2GB

http://petervideos.com/ Peter Mansour

Meanwhile the iphone..

Intellectua1

Talk bad all you want about Samsung and Touchwiz but Samsung is the most active and innovative phone company out there.. Samsung is the best..

Good_Ole_Pinocchio

I love all this progress but we’re still stuck on the “WHY”? How are the OEMs going to use this? Faster for the sake of being faster just doesn’t matter….especially when one of the main reasons are always “Games”? Which is the least important thing. IF we’re going to push the Hardware we need software that matters and can take advantage of it.

http://www.twitter.com/nblufire12 Nathan Patel

More RAM the better. Simple…

Good_Ole_Pinocchio

Better….for what?

http://www.twitter.com/nblufire12 Nathan Patel

Ask vista?

JS

What do you mean how are OEMs going to use this? 8Gb package (1GB on a single dye) with 3200mbit/s data transfer rate. Now phones can go up to 4GB (up from 3GB). It doesn’t mean that all phones will use 4GB. Next year, you can buy a phone with 2GB (dual 8Gb package) using the new LPDDR4 RAM which will use less power then what you use today. Faster, bigger, less power consumption is better don’t you think?

Guy Pierce

Don’t make any for apple. They will call it “Revolutionary” and sue you later!

Daniel Walsh

Specs will keep getting larger and faster.

http://fb.com/hamza.abbas5473 hamza

Superb

keeley991

This would be great in the Nexus 10 2

chris_johns

arriving just in time for the next angry birds…bc we need 4 gigs of ram in phones to run stuff…

mustbepbs

I think that even with 4GB of RAM on a 64 bit architecture with an octacore Exynos chip running at 2 GHz per core, TouchWiz would still lag.

http://www.thinkgeeks4u.com Hiral Patel

Now this is a game changer – 1) The more ram you have the less cpu usage means more power conservation 2) The 40% power savings results in more battery life. Heard this will be in the upcoming S5 which will make it a beast of device in comparision.

chris_johns

stop it…stop it right now

Diablo81588

And increased power consumption for 2GB of wasted unused RAM. It’s all relative.

JS

No. 8Gb package (1GB single dye) up from 4/6Gb package of LPDDR3. Meaning phones can now have up to 4GB (LPDDR4) RAM up from 3GB (LPDDR3). The 4GB (8Gb package from LPDDR4) will consume less power than 3GB (6Gb package from LPDDR3).

If using 2 dyes of the LPDDR4 to equip a phone with 2GB RAM, it will consume less power than 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM using 4Gb package and around the same power if using 4GB LPDDR4 vs 2GB LPDDR3.

With the added benefits of 3200mbit/s data transfer rate vs the 2133mbit/s from last generation.

Jason Chapman

this is far too optimistic for the demands of the consumer markets right now.. 4K resolution (Ulra HD; UDH) is not even a consideration at the desktop level yet, they’re just too expensive (24-31″ 4K displays go for $1500 to $3500).. the need for that much RAM is not there and that resolution at the sizes applicable for a tablet/smartphone is just a waste of pixels and unnecessary drain on battery life. out-of-the-box thinking DOES NOT equal ingenuity.. think iPhone fingerprint sensor, if you remember that “great” idea. Stupid ideas, Samsung, and (as usual) stupid media hyping up useless buzzwords

JS

Who are you to state that the need for RAM isn’t there? Most people might not need 4GB, but that isn’t the focus. It’s the fact that Samsung who controls 70% of all RAM used in any computing devices came out with a mobile LPDDR4 RAM that can transfer up to 3200 mbits/s with about half the power from current LPDDR3 RAM at 1.1 volts. This has nothing to do with out-of-the-box thinking. It’s called tech evolution. If you want to use LPDDR3 RAM that is slower and consumes more power, then good for you, but try not to speak for everyone.

Jason Chapman

because even gaming on a desktop PC @ 3840×1080 only uses 4GB of RAM.. there is no need in mobile devices yet. it’s not tech evolution, it’s buzzword marketing “ooh, more RAM than I have now, that must be a good thing!”

JS

Did you even read what I typed out? The 4GB isn’t the focus here. It’s the fact we are now moving from LPDDR3 to LPDDR4. What phone/tablet/notebook do you use? Most likely, you are using LPDDR3 RAM in your current mobile device. So tell me exactly why you don’t want to move from LPDDR3 to LPDDR4? It’s faster (3200mbit/s vs 2133mbit/s) and it consumes LESS power then LPDDR3. So why exactly do you NOT want to move up in fabrication?

Jason Chapman

I only responded to the first part of your response because the rest of your rant had nothing to do with my post.

JS

“Stupid ideas, Samsung, and (as usual) stupid media hyping up useless buzzwords” seems like more of a rant then every factual input that I have put in. How is transitioning from LPDDR3 to LPDDR4 a marketing ploy? You have no idea how RAM works which is obvious in your 2nd comment bringing in an argument about gaming PC into a Low Power DDR article.

Also, you seem to not understand how display panel technology works. A large sheet of panel is first printed out and is cut with the panels in the middle being the most high quality ones. Of course large monitors/TVs will need to tack on a premium. But, imagine how much more yield you get from cutting it to 5inches and not 24-31inches. Meaning, an average $500 phone with 1080 res won’t cost $1500 just because of a 4K panel.

Jason Chapman

are you seriously still going on about the RAM module technology? I haven’t made a single comment about that. if you think a 5″ 4K display will cost less than a 24″ or 31″ then I really just have no interest in further engaging you in conversation. that’s pure idiocy.

JS

Wait, so you are saying a 5inch 4K panel won’t cost less than a 31inch? Amazing, so where can I get a 50inch 4k TV for the price of a 31inch? You have no idea how manufacturing hardware works which is obvious in all your statements. A Sharp 32inch 4k PANEL costs around $500 USD wholesale, depending on bulk. An LG 4k Panel at 32inches cost less then that. The way panels are produced as I have stated above, they create a huge sheet probably 100×100″ or even bigger. Then cut the sheet depending on the size they need. The panels in the middle are graded “A” and sold to companies like Apple who wants the best of the best. The outer panels are graded “B” and sold to Chinese manufacturers who produce cheap TV/Monitors. Now do the math and think how much more 5″ panels are produced off that single sheet rather than a 31″ panel. A 5″ 4K panel will sell for wholesale at around $100 a panel. Since Samsung makes their own panels, it will be cheaper then that. Your phone is not going to cost 3x what it costs today because they come out with 4K phones in 2014.

Jason Chapman

you seem to have trouble grasping the concept of pixel density and its relationship to pricing. no, I really don’t understand what you’re talking about with regards to the “giant sheet”. they can’t just cut a 24″ 4K panel and a 5″ 4K panel out of the same “sheet” because a 5″ display obviously would have a much higher pixel density. it requires different manufacturing processes, which are non-existent as of now, for such high definition displays at those sizes.

http://twitter.com/geoff5093 Geoff Johnson

I’m all for newer tech that allows for more storage, faster processing, more RAM, all with lower power consumption – but the problem is manufacturers just keep making phones thinner.

Mayoo

It takes that much to make TouchWiz work properly? God …

Maxim∑

once 4GB of RAM is put into samsung devices, touchwiz will take 3GB of RAM to operate

Ej McCarty

And be 20 gb of space

BananaBob

Samsung first thoughts when developing this: Now we can have hundreds of our S-Apps running simultaneously all the time, Mwahahahaha!!!!

BigTimmay

So continue doing what they’re already doing?

Ej McCarty

But moar

BananaBob

Many many Moree!!!!

Eric R.

Who’s ready for more phones to blow up?

Sqube

I’m so glad they’re working on things to suck up more battery life, instead of focusing on battery tech.

JS

Sqube what phone do you use? If it’s pretty recent, most likely it is using a LPDDR3 RAM. This LPDDR4 RAM will transfer data at 3,200 mbits/s while using about half the power of your current RAM. What makes you think LPDDR4 sucks more battery life? Do you just assume because the number is higher, it requires more power?

Tony G.

on a tablet, i’m excited. on a phone, i just dont play games on it to get the full benefit of 2+gb of ram

JS

Would your game benefit from 3,200 mbit/s data transfer rate? Would your game benefit from a 40% less power drain from LPDDR3 RAM which you are most likely using?

Daeshaun

Samsung tablets are the truth. Spen and multiwindow aren’t rivaled. If they de-janked touch wiz I would be on board. I’m ready for more ram.

shecalledmejay

Man, I don’t really care about Ram, I’m waiting on a phone that can hold a charge for 2 days.

BigTimmay

Need it or not, it’s fuc king pretty sweet. A 2GB phone performs quite a bit better than a 1GB phone over time, from what I’ve experienced. That being said, yeah I agree about hoping there will be large advancements in smartphone battery longevity this year.

Sqube

I’m never one to turn down hardware, but Android is so much more optimized than it used to be. You can just look at the Moto X or even the Moto G to see that Android can be run well without bleeding-edge specs (as long as you don’t load it down with too much trash).

I’d be more excited to hear about a 3,000mAh battery with current top-level specs than 4GB of RAM and a 2,100mAh battery because the phone is 2.1mm slimmer than the previous one. I’m a grown man with grown man hands. The phone being a centimeter bigger and 2 oz heavier isn’t going to break me in half.

BIGGER BATTERIES IN 2014.

Cael

HTC is still in the market for bricks.

Jroc869, Nexus-Life

All I need is a phone that will go all day which we already have. I have no problem charging my phone over night every night.

MistaButters

Yeah but charging your phone all night is about the worst thing you can do for your battery. So in 12 months, your battery will go from lasting “all day” to lasting into the mid afternoon.

I need a phone that will make it a full day even after 18-24 months of use.

J. Gilbertson

I charge my Droid RAZR Maxx every night and it still gets me through the day

MistaButters

There are a few phones out there (Note 3, G2, Razr Maxx) that will do it, but it’s not the norm, and it should be.

But seriously though, leaving your phone plugged in all night is not good for it.

J. Gilbertson

I leave it plugged in all day at work too. There are nights that I’m too tired to remember to plug in my phone and that gets me through the whole next day if I forget. If phone manufacturers are smart they’ll implement power swap features (like the features Lenovo uses in their laptops) where after the battery is fully charged they should switch to AC power and battery backup. That would be the ultimate battery saver in phones if you’re worried about the battery dying over time from constant plug.

Jroc869, Nexus-Life

My nexus 4 Is doing just fine a year plus later

MistaButters

Your Nexus 4 makes it a full day?! Holy crap.

Jroc869, Nexus-Life

Not as far into the night as I would like but yes. What I was speaking to is the fact that I charge it all night every night and i haven’t seen a decline in battery life since day one

Ryan

The new LG batteries are high density so they take 800 charge cycles before you see decreased battery life. LG has the only high density batteries or even any improvement with batteries in devices.

Mayoo

5 years ago, that would have been true. But now it’s better than ever. Batteries will last much more longer.

MistaButters

I just came from a One X that easily lasted a full day when I bought it, that barely made it to 3 pm by the time I bought a Nexus 5.

Maybe yours, but my phone is cold as a rock right now. It does get hot if i’m in the car, blasting music through bluetooth, while navigating with the GPS and screen on. That screen is the biggest heat source.

Diablo81588

The phone stops charging when the battery is full, waits until it dips below 90 percent, and charges back up to full. It’s not a constant charge when the phone is plugged in. What’s hard on lithium batteries is having them at full charge for extended amounts of time. Overnight will not hurt your battery, as long as you don’t leave it on the charger at work all day every day. In addition, the absolute worst thing you can do is run the battery completely dead, and especially leave it dead. That will kill your life in a heartbeat.

Intellectua1

Yea I stopped leaving my phone on the charger all night I put it on in the morning.. That way I can take it off the charger when it’s done and it doesn’t just sit on there..

MistaButters

That’s what I do. My phone will make it through the bight no problem because of how efficient the snapdragons are. Then when I get to work, I charge my phone.

Mayoo

If you would have read the article, you would have seen that it takes 40% less power than LPDDR3. That’s a step towards better autonomy.

chris_johns

stop it…stop it right now…

JS

Yup, LPDDR4 = 3,200 mbit/s with 40% less power consumption then LPDDR3.

burkett375

my LG G2 can do that easily….

Brandon Golway

Less power consumption = longer battery, life so in effect this is actually what they’re doing. If you really need that, get an extended battery.

HarvesterX

Read the article again. 50% improvement in performance means work is finished faster, saving power. Plus the article says the RAM is also supposedly more power efficient to begin with, so this theoretically should affect battery life.

muhaziz97

Go to market > buy Nokia 3310 and a ZeroLemon 10000mAh battrey pack

monmm

The title is incorrect. 8GB ram, read 8GB for the iphone as it has a 64 bit OS.

Samsung has already announced mass production of their 3D V-NAND, and once that hits a wall the guys at Crossbar should have their R-RAM up and running.

Show me a phone where all 256gb of on-board storage is high-speed non-volatile ram and I will get excited

John Clausen

Remind me again on why we need phones with 4gb of RAM? Hell, my computer only has 8

gambit07

At one point 1GB was considered outlandish on phones due to the lower consumption by applications because there was less RAM, and on and on it goes in a circular sort of fashion with pretty much any tech I can think of. As mobile systems become more advanced, developers will build to those specs and more RAM will be necessary.

WickedToby741

TouchWiz.

Sqube

Look at the specs in your phone. That thing IS a computer now.

JBartcaps

So you can host Minecraft servers on the go, duh

Patrick Jewell

BASED SAMSUNG

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